ITALIAN giants Juventus are interested in signing Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka, according to reports.
The Switzerland captain has been linked with Juve’s Serie A rivals Roma, who will be coached by ex-Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho next term.
According to CalcioMercato, Juventus are admirers of Xhaka and may make a move for the Arsenal star if they fail to sign Manuel Locatelli from Sassuolo.
The 28-year-old has impressed for the Swiss at Euro 2020, picking up the Star of the Match award for his performance in his country’s famous win against France.
Xhaka has reportedly agreed terms with Roma ahead of a potential move but the Italian side are struggling to meet the Gunners’ asking price.
Mourinho’s new club are understood to have offered €12million plus €3m in add-ons for the player – around £13m in total.
But Arsenal are believed to have rejected Roma’s advances and want at least €20m in cash – around £17m – and the price could increase following Xhaka’s European exploits and Juve’s reported interest.
The Premier League side paid a reported £30m for Xhaka five years ago.
Rumours suggest the midfielder won’t wait for Roma to meet Arsenal’s valuation, giving Juventus the chance to make a move.
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Xhaka dropped a huge hint over his future following Switzerland’s stunning win against France.
When asked by the press if he will be answering questions in Italian, the Arsenal star said: “Not yet… It is always interesting to learn a new language.
“Let’s see, everyone knows what Roma represent. Now I am an Arsenal player, I will speak after the tournament.”
Xhaka has split opinion among Arsenal fans during his five-year spell at the Emirates, with many unconvinced of his quality.
The former Borussia Monchengladbach star has made 161 Premier League appearances for the Gunners, winning two FA Cups.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
